The government approved further measures against the spread of coronavirus on Monday. All schools except kindergartens will be closed. Restaurants, pubs, bars and clubs will have to close from Wednesday, and alcohol consumption in public will be also prohibited. People will no longer be allowed to gather in groups of more than six. Title photo: Press conference after the end of the government meeting, October 12, 2020. Credit: Vlada.cz archive.
Czech Rep., Oct 13 (BD) – The government was discussing the new measures for the whole of Monday, and the final wording was agreed shortly before 10pm. The measures will apply from midnight on Wednesday until November 3rd, the scheduled end of the current state of emergency, except the closure of schools, which is valid until November 1st.
Measures could be relaxed after a week if the reproductive number drops to 0.8, which is the current objective, according to Health Minister Roman Prymula. “The measures must take effect for 14 days. No one expected that the acceleration from last week would be as it is,” said Prymula.
Sporting facilities were closed by the measures announced last Thursday. Shopping centres and hardware stores will remain open under current restrictions that set the maximum number of people together at two (plus children under 15 years of age from the same household). Finance Minister Alena Schillerová earlier said that the government cannot afford to turn off the economy as during the first lockdown.
Restrictions to Personal Contact
- People can gather in groups of a maximum of six people (excluding families, workplaces, weddings and funerals).
- Restrictions apply to both indoor and outdoor groups, including groups playing sport.
- It is forbidden to drink alcohol in public.
— Roman Prymula (@profesorPrymula) October 12, 2020
Facemasks
- Facemasks must be worn at all public transport stops, on platforms, under shelters and in waiting rooms.
Schools
- All schools except kindergartens are closing from Wednesday, October 14th to Sunday, November 1st. Special school facilities will be set up for the children of emergency workers, especially doctors and nurses.
- Universities can hold exams for up to 10 people.
- Update [10:50am]: Students are asked to return home and limit their social contacts. Students who cannot return home are allowed to stay in the dormitories, as confirmed by Education Minister Robert Plaga on Tuesday. This is an amendment to the measure announced on Monday, whereby all students not called to work by the government, such as medics, were forbidden to remain in the dormitories.
S MZd se nám podařilo dohodnout, že studenti, kteří se nemohou vrátit domů, mohou zůstat na kolejích. Stejně tak na nich zůstávají studenti v karanténě. S rektory jsme ve spojeni. Přesto, pokud je to možné, prosím všechny, aby se vrátili domů a omezili sociální kontakty.
— Robert Plaga (@RobertPlaga) October 13, 2020
Restaurants, pubs, bars, clubs
- From midnight of October 14th to the scheduled end of the state of emergency on November 3rd, restaurants, clubs and bars will close. It will be possible to sell takeaway food through windows.
- Hotel restaurants can be open until 8pm, for hotel guests only.
— Roman Prymula (@profesorPrymula) October 12, 2020
